Nikolic accused of intimidating, abusing witness

Patrick Bartley

DISGRACED jockey Danny Nikolic was accused on Thursday of contempt of court after it was alleged he intimidated and abused another Racing Victoria steward during a break in his appeal to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Appeals Tribunal (VCAT) hearing.

Barrister Philip Dunn, QC, for Racing Victoria, accused Nikolic of being ''seriously out of control'', claiming he made intimidating and provocative comments to a witness waiting outside the appeal hearing.

And the embattled rider may also face more charges from Racing Victoria authorities at the conclusion of the appeal hearing over the alleged threats to former Tasmanian steward Wade Hadley. Nikolic is also before the Magistrates Court in the next few weeks on assault charges.

He is appealing against a two-year disqualification for allegedly threatening RVL chief steward Terry Bailey at Seymour this year.

Dunn said the banned jockey sat next to Hadley, who had previously given evidence against him and allegedly said: ''You're going up in the world, aren't you?''

Having received no response, Nikolic then allegedly said: ''I think you're going up in the world, let's see where you end up.''

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He then allegedly called Hadley a ''f---ing fine specimen of a human being''.

Later in the hearing the Caulfield-based jockey denied the allegations and claimed that Hadley had made the initial contact and he had merely responded.

Nikolic claimed that Hadley told him: ''Things are not going well in there for you.''